Wednesday, September 25, 2013

My friend, Amanda, and I decided that we should try doing new things on nights we went out, instead of just the usual dinner or frozen yogurt. It was hard to find new things to do around here, but she eventually came up with an awesome idea. She found a place we could go to where we could paint our own ceramics! I hadn't done so in years, so I was all for trying it out, plus it was in a fun town, so I figured why not!? It was even better when we showed up and it was Girl's Night! Ceramic painting + wine & cheese! What could be better? Yes, that's right... nothing! We picked out our ceramics and paint colors and sat down at a table. I picked a ring holder... (hint, hint... Sal)... and Amanda decided to paint a pencil holder to add to her desk, which was perfect because she had just scored her first teaching job!

We started to paint, and as people walked in and sat down, we kept eyeing the wine and cheese. It seemed like no one was going to serve it to us, but it also seemed like no one was getting up to get any. We couldn't wait any longer, so Amanda rose from her seat, and went and poured us two TALL glasses of wine, and grabbed as many cheese and crackers as she could. Soon after we were laughing and talking to the other girls that shared our table with us. Before I knew it we were getting up for more wine and cheese. We didn't know it then, but we could have brought our own bottle of wine, which would have made things easier, and probably a little more fun, because that way we wouldn't have had to worry about taking too much!

We finished painting our ceramics, and were told that we had to come back in a week to pick them up, which was perfect because then we could pick them up and grab dinner and maybe a little dessert. That was exactly what we ended up doing... our usual dinner and frozen yogurt, but only after we picked up our finished ceramics. I took plenty of before and after pictures, and it was amazing to see the difference.

For now my promise ring will enjoy it's time on the ring holder, but soon enough an engagement ring may just replace it!

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

For my third and final act... Nope not a magician... But I might be a runner! I ran three 5Ks this summer, one during each month, and my third and final one was the Dirty Girl Mud Run! I even met up with several Tone It Up girls and we ran together as a team - Dirty Mudder Fers! It was so empowering running with other women who are all such motivating individuals, who have the same goals, and live such a healthy lifestyle (at least most of the time, right?! ha!). We designed our own shirts, and looked like a team, a force that could not be reckoned with! We even met up with a few more TIU girls when we arrived!

While I've been asked to join Spartan teams, and I've even considered doing other mud runs, I'm glad this was my first! Not only was it all women, but we all had each other to push one another to the finish line; some even pushed one another into muddy water... All in good fun, I promise! It was by far the most hilarious mud run I've ever run, yet! It instilled even more confidence in me than I thought was ever possible!

My boyfriend came for support, and he ended up following me for the whole race, snapping pictures and catching some hilarious moments on film, such as me jumping into the muddy water and through a tube! It was quite exhilarating, and I didn't even feel like it was a 5K because I was too busy completing obstacles to even notice that I was running, and running quite fast with two of my tone it up sisters! The obstacles made the time go by extremely fast, from running in mud and crawling through tubes in muddy water, to climbing over rope ladders and balancing on wooden logs.

It wasn't timed, but I know we did pretty well, finishing it in under 45 minutes! A group of us made it to the finish line, and then waited for the rest of our team, and when we saw them running, we rsn back out there to finish all together! I couldn't have completed it without those ladies, and it was such and amazing feeling to run through the finish line all together, and of course splashing around in the mud a bit more!

I was shocked that Sal was actually willing to go grab a Taylor ham, egg, and cheese (a New Jersey staple), in public, while I was slightly muddy still. He wouldn't even hug me after the run, although I can't blame him! I was covered in mud and dirty water. Thankfully they had a tent with showers and a place to change after the race, because I don't think Sal would have let me get into his car without one, he would've probably cut some holes in a garbage bag for my head, arms, and legs... Or maybe just enough room for my face to stick out because I'm telling you I was covered!

Let's just say, I'll definitely be signing up for this race next year! Who's with me?!